A direct examination of the effect of intranasal administration of oxytocin on approach-avoidance motor responses to emotional stimuli.

Theodoridou A, Penton-Voak IS, Rowe AC

PloS one28 Feb 2013Cited by 34 (Europe PMC)

PMID23469148PMCIDPMC3585234DOI10.1371/journal.pone.0058113PepBankPUB-23469148

Summary

Oxytocin has been shown to promote a host of social behaviors in humans but the exact mechanisms by which it exerts its effects are unspecified. One prominent theory suggests that oxytocin increases approach and decreases avoidance to social stimuli. Another dominant theory posits that oxytocin increases the salience of social stimuli. Herein, we report a direct test of these hypotheses. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli. One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen. Lever movements toward stimuli decreased and movements away increased stimuli size producing the illusion that stimuli moved away from or approached participants. Reaction time data were recorded. The task produced the effects that were anticipated on the basis of the approach-avoidance literature in relation to emotional stimuli, yet the anticipated speeded approach and slowed avoidance responses to emotional faces by the oxytocin group were not observed. Interestingly, the oxytocin treatment group was faster to approach and avoid faces depicting disgust relative to the placebo group, suggesting a salience of disgust for the former group. Results also showed that within the oxytocin group women's reaction times to all emotional faces were faster than those of men, suggesting sex specific effects of oxytocin. The present findings provide the first direct evidence that intranasal oxytocin administration does not enhance approach/avoidance to social stimuli and does not exert a stronger effect on social vs. non-social stimuli in the context of processing of emotional expressions and scenes. Instead, our data suggest that oxytocin administration increases the salience of certain social stimuli and point to a possible role for oxytocin in behavioral prophylaxis.

CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study5

5 results from studies that gave the peptide. 5 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In adults, intranasal oxytocin did not speed approach or slow avoidance responses to emotional faces compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn adults, oxytocin did not make approach to emotional faces faster or avoidance slower than placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeApproach and avoidance speed to emotional faces
Study
n = 120
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
yet the anticipated speeded approach and slowed avoidance responses to emotional faces by the oxytocin group were not observed.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli.
Summary · context
One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2346914801
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In adults, the oxytocin group was faster than the placebo group to approach and to avoid faces showing disgust.
In plain wordsIn adults, the oxytocin group reacted faster to disgust faces than the placebo group.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseReaction time to disgust faces
Study
n = 120
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Interestingly, the oxytocin treatment group was faster to approach and avoid faces depicting disgust relative to the placebo group, suggesting a salience of disgust for the former group.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli.
Summary · context
One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2346914802
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
Intranasal oxytocin did not enhance approach or avoidance responses to social stimuli compared with placebo.
In plain wordsOxytocin did not improve approach or avoidance responses to social stimuli compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeApproach and avoidance of social stimuli
Study
n = 120
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
intranasal oxytocin administration does not enhance approach/avoidance to social stimuli and does not exert a stronger effect on social vs. non-social stimuli in the context of processing of emotional expressions and scenes.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli.
Summary · context
One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2346914804
04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
Intranasal oxytocin did not have a stronger effect on social than on non-social stimuli when participants processed emotional expressions and scenes.
In plain wordsOxytocin did not act more strongly on faces than on natural scenes in this task.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
No significant changeEffect on social versus non-social stimuli
Study
n = 120
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
does not exert a stronger effect on social vs. non-social stimuli in the context of processing of emotional expressions and scenes.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli.
Summary · context
One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2346914805
05HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
Within the oxytocin group, women had faster reaction times to all emotional faces than men.
In plain wordsIn the oxytocin group, women reacted faster than men to emotional faces. This is a sex difference inside one group.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
Not applicableReaction time to emotional faces, women versus men in the oxytocin group
Study
n: not reported in source
Comparator
Men in the oxytocin group
Outcome group
Cognition and memory · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU · intranasalAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
Results also showed that within the oxytocin group women's reaction times to all emotional faces were faster than those of men, suggesting sex specific effects of oxytocin.
2 context sentences(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we examined approach-avoidance motor responses to social and non-social emotional stimuli.
Summary · context
One hundred and twenty participants self-administered either 24 IU oxytocin or placebo and moved a lever toward or away from pictures of faces depicting emotional expressions or from natural scenes appearing before them on a computer screen.
Show in the study text Report a problemFND-2346914803

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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